Apple September Event: The Regular iPhone, Not the Pro, is the One to Get
Every September, Apple Inc. unveils their fresh lineup of iPhones and smartwatches heading into the holiday season. But lately, each yearly cycle has seemed more like a refinement than a revolution — a reflection of a slowing smartphone market. Nevertheless, Apple unveiled the iPhone 15 lineup with two regular models and two pro models. The higher-end models received overall modest updates with the most notable ones being “Pro” level processors (~10% increase in CPU performance, 20% in GPU), a titanium body, USB-C 3 ports, and 5x zoom on the Pro Max model. While rumors said otherwise, the iPhone 15 Pro starts at $999.
However, the Pro models are not the most impressive ones. It’s the regular iPhone 15 that should be stealing the show and everyone’s attention.
The 15 and 15 Plus get some noticeable upgrades, ones that make them worthy upgrades even if someone purchased last year’s iPhone 14. The iPhone 15 gets the Dynamic Island, a Pro-only feature last year, which takes away the much-maligned notch and replaces it with an adaptable cutout that can provide information such as map directions or Uber updates. It feels premium and, now that is is that standard, should get much more third party support. The 15 also gets a 48 megapixel camera, four-times more megapixels than last year’s standard iPhone 14 and once again a key feature in the 14 Pro and Pro Max. While it will not be as high resolution as the Pro models, the camera on the 15 and 15 Plus is as close as ever — aside from the extra telephoto lens.
Perhaps the biggest change will be to the charging port, which is now USB-C as opposed to Apple’s decade-old Lightning connector. This is notable, but a welcome change. Apple’s tablets and laptops accept USB-C charging, with the iPhone being the lone holdout for years. Lightning was a massive upgrade over the 30-pin connector of yesteryear, but the switch to USB-C was long, long overdue. Owners of Macs or recent iPads will now be able to charge all of their devices with the same connector, a big win in the cable game. Naturally, however, Apple did not make it so simple. The USB-C connectors on the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus run at 480 megabits per second — the equivalent Lightning/USB-2. That means there will not be any faster data transfers, just more convenient charging. For faster data transfers, one would need to purchase the 15 Pro (which is still only running at USB-C 3 speeds, not Thunderbolt).
Apple has introduced a slightly tweaked design as well, with the regular 15 lineup getting a slightly frosted glass back that has color infused throughout. It gives a contrast between the camera bump and the rest, which looks nice. The back also has curved edges, making it a little more comfortable to hold. This seems like the final, and best refinement, of the new design first shown in iPhone 12.
This is not to say that the Pro models are bad phones. They are powerful with new 3 nanometer processors with impressive graphical capabilities, ProMotion displays with higher refresh rates, professional camera systems, faster USB-C ports, and a slick titanium frame. They just are not sizable upgrades over the 14 Pro models. The 15 Pro has the same display, camera, and battery life as last year’s models- the three things the average consumer cares about. Meanwhile, the difference year over year in the standard iPhone 15 from the 14 is much, much more dramatic.
Adding the Dynamic Island and USB-C, upgrading the camera to 48 megapixels, a more premium design, and keeping the same $799 starting price make the iPhone 15 a really compelling upgrade. If you are entrenched in the Apple ecosystem and have other USB-C chargeable devices, then upgrading to the iPhone 15 is a no-brainer. The convenience of one charger is difficult to ignore and the Pro features from iPhone 14 Pro being added are really nice additions that make the phone look and feel premium. The Pro models are still great phones, but they are not head and shoulder above the rest of the new lineup this year.
